Storm in the kitchen

Come dine with me is now spurring brits on to cook more, as the popular tv show is encouraging culinary greatness in the kitchen. Home cooked food is now over taking restaurant sales as brits bid to get cooking again.

Exploding on to our screens in 2005, Come dine with me has made a mass mark on the cooking world. Well known for bitchy contestants, shoddy food and admittedly embarrassingly awful dinner parties, earning itself primetime viewing.

With over 22 series broadcast, pulling in millions of viewers, Come dine with me is now encouraging people to cook at home once more.

Back in the 70’s dinner parties were extremely popular. For many, Fanny Craddock provided a bible for even the most capable hosts.  Favourites included prawn cocktail, sherry trifle and copious amounts of alcohol.  There was also a surge in the early 80’s where house-proud hosts would show of their newly decorated homes to their guests.  

Dave Lamb, narrator on the show said “I don't know why people put themselves through it to be honest, 'cos it's harrowing enough to throw a dinner party without having a camera crew there. I'm not really surprised that it took off because it's really watchable, to the point where it's almost addictive."

Now, new figures show dinner parties have become fashionable once again. Thanks to amateur cooking shows it now offers a lifeline for many incapable cookers.  Come dine with me has now branched out the franchise offering recipes from the show available online, allowing home cookers to access popular recipes.

As the recession brings about great economic change, many people’s habits are changing in order to save on money. Tesco’s have now introduced lower prices on many of items, £200m on more than 1,000 lines. Also they have recently launched 2,100 new and better goods.

New found home cooker Diane Altoft said “It’s given me a confidence boost in the kitchen. I’m not the best cook, but I regularly use some of the recipes found on the show. I made an edible soufflé the other day which was pleasantly surprising.”

Underground pop up restaurants have become increasingly popular and underground venues have become more well known up and down the country, with many being held in London. The idea is simple; it’s a cross between a restaurant and a dinner party held in someone’s house.

US Supper clubs as they are known in America  were heavily featured in Jamie’s American road trip. Although he visited Peruvian front room restaurants, many concentrated on high-class food charging extortionate prices.

However the idea in Britain is very different, the pop up restaurants tends to focus on a warm and friendly atmosphere with simple well cooked food.  For some, the idea of sharing a dining table with three other strangers can be daunting.

David Toyne who gave up his job as a freelance graphic designer to devote all his time to his supper club said: “I started my supper club a few years ago. I use to serve around 20 people a night. Now, I have three sittings serving a total of 60 people. I absolutely love the thrill of cooking to so many people, when they compliment my food it makes it all the more worth it.”